Amidst the Ukrainian counter-offensive, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a surprise visit to frontline areas in the partly Russian-occupied eastern Donetsk region on Monday.
According to his office, he gathered there, among others, military units involved in the intense fighting for the city of Bakhmut, as well as soldiers and officers of the “Khortizia” unit, which fights against Russian troops in the Donbass region of the East Ukrainian Front.
During the most formal part of his visit, Zelenskyy presented soldiers with medals. He was also briefed on the current situation by the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyj. “I want to say thank you, honor you all and shake hands with you, your families and relatives with great gratitude,” the Ukrainian president told the soldiers. “Ukraine is proud of each of you,” he said.
Zelenskyy looks relaxed
However, Zelenskyy was also seen in photos on his Telegram channel in a more relaxed setting, drinking coffee at a gas station and taking selfies with soldiers and officials. Unlike Russian President Vladimir Putin, who rarely appears in public, Zelensky regularly visits Ukrainian soldiers at the front.
In early June, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive to recapture areas occupied by Moscow in the east and south of the country. According to Kiev, so far it has recovered about 10 cities, many of them in the Donetsk region.